L E A R N I N G LI N E S
Lights! Action! Prompt? Every year, Aiglonians undertake a mind-blowing feat of memory as they set about learning their lines for the school production. But just how do they get them to stick? Words Lucy Joiln Illustration John Devolle at Folio
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ARTIN LUTHER KING JR HAD A dream. Neil Armstrong took one giant leap. And Jack Nicholson didn’t think we could handle the truth. All had different things to say, but all had one thing that united them – delivering lines. Learning words to give a great performance – whether that’s on stage in front of a massive audience or just presenting at the weekly office meeting – is an art. Knowing what you’re going to say gives you confidence, but how can you make sure the lines stick in your head? “It’s a very personal thing,” says drama and English teacher Mrs Emily Hann. “You can be a fantastic actor, but still find learning lines challenging. Many of our students would say the fun is in the performance and learning lines is just a means to an end. But if you don’t know your lines, the piece doesn’t come together in the same way. It might not be the most fun aspect of performing; it’s hard work – but it’s hard work that pays off.”
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AIGLON
Issue 14
No one doubts that committing lines to memory is a monumental task. But it’s one that many Aiglonians are used to. Learning lines and performing them to the highest standard is all part of the annual Aiglon production – and a skill that has served them well in later life. Take Charlotte Asprey (Chantecler, 1993). As a professional actor with a string of film, TV and theatre credits to her name, Charlotte is well used to the challenge of learning lines. “It’s about layering and more layering. I print my lines out, I pick them up, read them, walk away, do something else, go back to them. The familiarity grows. Then I’ll ask someone to read opposite me, and I’ll find I’ve become familiar with the lines without forcing anything.” She has to commit an extraordinary number of lines to memory, and keep them fresh. Her most recent part, as Mattie Ill in Tony Kushner’s epic adaptation of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Visit at the National Theatre in London, also had her understudying Lesley Manville’s lead role. That means finding ways to make connections between words, actions and character. “Tony’s words are often incredibly hard to learn because he